Perfecr start: Sunderland striker Darren Bent
Steve Bruce has called on England boss Fabio Capello to call upon £10million man Darren Bent after seeing him make a blistering start to his Sunderland career.
The 25-year-old striker has scored in each of his first two games for the Black Cats after finally ending his miserable spell at Tottenham.
Bent hopes a continued run of good form might bring him to the attention of Capello and give him the chance to improve on the four caps he has won for his country.
And Bruce believes his club record signing has the ability to rub shoulders with Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey, Michael Owen and Jermain Defoe on the international stage.
He said: 'He has had a wonderful start and he is English - and let's be fair now, there are not many English forwards now plying their trade in the Premier League.
'Where are they? There are about four or five - there are probably more than that - realistic ones, so if he keeps scoring a goal...
'And it is not just scoring a goal he has done well with, but his contribution to the team. He has been very influential.
'He works extremely hard and he is playing with a smile on his face, which is there for everybody to see, so I am obviously delighted about that.'
Sunderland sell £2m strike flop Anthony Stokes to Hibernian SUNDERLAND v Blackburn: Lee Cattermole heads Black Cats' list of worriesMensah signing is an intelligent move, says Sunderland new boy Cana SUNDERLAND FC